Tank cleaner



G. Ex SLAUGENHOP TANK CLEANER March 26, 1940.

Filed Aug. 27,. 195? 2 Sheets-Shet 1 1N VENTOR.

Gear eEJIaugenhap Qd/KM ATTORNEY.

G. E. SLAUGENHOP March 26, 1940-.

' TANK CLEANER 7 Filed Aug. 27', 19:57

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \hhhhhh R O T N E V m E Slquyenhop L ATTORNEI Gear 6 BY Patented Mar. 2 6, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

TANK CLEANER. George E. Slaugenhop, Vernon, Tex. Application August 27, 1937, Serial No. 161.324

' 12 claims.- (c1. 210 20c) tom of the container without agitation of the contents as a whole as is usually occasioned by the type of sediment removers used heretofore' While the drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that in adapting the same. to meet specific needs I and requirements, the design may be varied and changes in the minor details of construction resorted to within the scope of the invention as claimed without departing from the spirit thereof. g

In the accompanying drawings:

I Fig. 1 is a horizontal section through a stor-' age tank, on the line II of Fig. 3, showing the sediment remover applied thereto for the removal of sediment;

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the sediment remover in its position when the cleaning movement is completed;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, partly in elevation; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the screw and the scraper elements.

With more detailed reference to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a container or tank for holding oil or other liquids to be stored, the tank being provided with a sediment outlet drain 6 to which a drain pipe 1 may be connected as shown in Fig. 3.

The tank 5 is provided with a collar 8 extending through and welded in a side wall thereof, and said collar is threaded toreceive a stufiing box 9. A gland I provides the necessary pressure for sealing the packing of said stuffing box to prevent leakage around the stem of screw II the stem is journaled in the stufiing box. The

screw II extends diametrically across the lower portion of the tank 5, having a stem end extending through the stufling box 9 with a crank I2 on the end thereof, the opposite end of said screw II being journaled in a plate 20 secured to the inner wall of the tank. A pin 2| prevents endwise movement of the screw I I relative to the stufling box 9.

The screw II carries scrapers I3 and I4 on member I -to travel the threadedfmember longitudinally separated threaded portions of said screw having a threadless reduced portion I6 therebetween. The scraper I3 is attached to aninternally threaded member I5 which, when the'crank I2 is turned, will cause the threaded 5 along screw- II until it reaches'the threadless portion I6 on the screw Due to the fact that this threadless portion IE on screw member II is of greater length than- I5, this threaded member 10 I5 will not pass the threadless portion I6 on the screw I I. However the scraper I4 is carried by an internally threaded member I1 which is of greater length than the threadless portion I6 on screw II, so-that said threaded member I! will bridge the threadless portion I6 and pass thereacrossbetween the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the threaded member I5 reaches the threadless portion I6, it cannot travel thereacross', so that its extreme forward position is that shown in Fig. 2.

The scraper I3 is provided with folding end members I3 hinged to opposite ends thereof at l8. The end members I3 are preferably relatively thin and flexible and are held in close 26 sliding contact with. the inner wall of the tank 5 by'means of springs I9. This will cause the interfolding of the end members I3 upon movement of the scraper I3 to the left, as shown in Fi 2. I

The unit may be operated from externally of the tank for the removing of sediment from the inside thereof by'the manipulation of crank I2. The scrapers I3 and I4 normally are in the positions shown in Fig. 1, and upon rotation of crank I2 these scrapers I3 and I4 are caused to move forwardly. along a screw, thereby drawing the sediment to the drain outlet 6 where it is drained from the tank, the end'members l3 folding upon such forward movement'to facilitate said clean- 40 ing action.

When it is desired to return the scrapers to the-positions shown in Fig. 1, the crank I2 is rotated in the reverse direction and threaded member I! moves to a point I6 to contact threaded .member I5 to move the same into threaded engagement with screw II causing said threaded member I5 to return to the position shown in Fig. 1, the threaded member I! carrying the scraper along with it. By this arrangement the removal of the sediment is accomplished by one movement 'of the scrapers across the bottom of the tank in a sure, steady manner, thereby preventing intermixing of the sediment with'the contents of the tank, which screw member extending transversely across tainer, of a screw extending transversely across the lower portion of said container, and means connected with said screw and movable across.

the bottom of said container approximately in contact therewith for cleaning said bottom, said cleaning means being expansible laterally of the container in accordance with variations in the width thereof at difierent points along the'screw.

2. In an invention of the character specified,-

the combination with a liquid container, of a screw extending transversely across said containcr, and a folding scraper connected with said screw and movable across the bottom of said container.

3. In an invention of the character described, the combination with a liquid container, of a said container, a folding scraper connected with said screw member and movable thereby across the bottom of said container, and a second scraper operatively connected with said screw member.

4. In an invention of the character specified, the combination with a liquid containenof a screw member extending transversely across said container, said screw member having a threadless portion, and a scraper having threaded engagement with said screw member and movable thereby acres the bottom of said container to the threadless portion of the screw member.

5. In an invention of the character specified, the combination with a liquid container, of screw member extending transversely across said container, said screw member having a threadless portion, and a scraper having threaded engagement with said screw member and movable thereby across the bottom of said container to the threadless portion of the screw member, said scraper having end arm extensions foldably connected therewith.

6. In a tank cleanenthe combination of tank, a screw extending transversely across the lower portion of said tank and having longitudinally separated threaded portions, a scraper threaded on said screw and movable therealong only to thespace between the threaded portions.

7. In a tank cleaner, the combination of a tank, a screw extending transversely across the lower portion of said tank and having longitudinally separated threaded portions, a scraper threaded on said screw and movable therealong only to the space between the threaded portions, and a second scraper having a supporting portion receiving the screw and of greater length than the space between the threaded portions.

8. In a tank cleaner, the combination of a tank, a screw extending transversely across the lower portion of said tank and having longitudinally separated threaded portions, a scraper threaded on said screw and movable therealong only to the space between the threaded portions, a second scraper having a supporting portion receiving the screw and of greater length than the space between the threaded portions, means journaling opposite end portions of the screw on the tank, and ahandle attached to one end portion of the screw for turning the same.

9. In a tank cleaner, the combination of atank,

a screw extending transversely across the lower portion of said' tank and having longitudinally separated threaded portions, 2. scraper threaded on said screw and movable therealong only to the space between the threaded portions, a second scraper having a supporting portion receiving the screw and of greater length than the space betweenthe threaded portions, and end arm extensions hinged to opposite ends of the first-mentioned scraper for folding relative thereto.

10. In a tank cleaner of the character described, the combination of an upright cylindrical tank,a screw extending diametrically across .thelower portion of the tank from side to side thereof, and means connected with the screw and movable thereby across the bottom of the tank substantially in contact therewith for cleaning said bottom. a Y

11. In a tank cleaner of the character described, the combination of an upright cylindrical tank, cleaning means in the lower portion ofithe tank, and means mounting said cleaning means for movement diametrically across the bottom of the tank, said cleaning means being constructed for expansion laterally of the tank in accordance with variations in the width thereof atdifferent positions of the cleaning means.

12. In a tank cleaner of the character described, the combination with a tank, of supporting means extending transversely across the tank, a scraper connected with said supporting means, means for moving said scraper bodily along said supporting means, and an endv extension scraper connected with the first-mentioned scraper and movable outwardly relative thereto for lateral expansion of saidfirst-mentioned scraper.

GEORGE E. SLAUGENHOP. 

